To go back and see 2011 Expedition go to: http://bushpilotdhc.blogspot.com/

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Overflights - O'Reilly Island and Grant Point

O'Reilly Island, looking from the northwest to the southeast



Nordenskiold Islands, looking from the southwest to the northeast
(enroute from Cambridge Bay to O'Reilly Island)
Just completed over flight missions to the areas of O'Reilly Island and Grant Point and other intriguing spots along the north shore of the Adelaide Peninsula, then in addition - Erebus Bay. On one of the trips, searched some other nearby hunches, scanning the shallows offshore. Was surprised at the clarity of the water. The key was waiting for sunshine coupled with low winds.



Took over 500 pictures from exactly 3,000 feet MSL with 24.5 megapixel Nikon D3X with 80x400ml lens with polarizing filter, zoomed out all the way. The imaging was as spectacular as hoped.





Kirkwall Island (upper island to the north)
Uppermost north in the group of islands to the northwest of Grant Point





















A couple of typical shots from 3,000 feet MSL.
Note how clear the water is. 


After getting back and analyzing some of the data, found three interesting targets to start. With the altitude set, these all sized up to be between 100 and 150 feet long.  But after doing my own imaging enhancements with different tools, and comparing those to my similar enhanced changes of the over water picture that is published from the HMS Investigator wreck, I concluded that these targets are improbable - most likely natural anomalies.
Maybe.

Many more images to sort through.




A target?




Two other targets








Below -
HMS Investigator (example) 
Original photo and 2 levels of enhancement.


Flew north across Storis Passage to Terror Bay to look around. Took a picture to my left of the place that was described by the Inuit ancestors as the "Bad Place". A location where a handful of Franklin men were purported to be in tents in wretched condition from scurvy, after having cannibalizing the dead, languishing to their sad end. It was said that inside a tent was a crude cooking pot with human parts in large spoons.  Here below is a picture of that place.

The "Bad Place"

Then back to Cambridge Bay.

2 comments:

  1. Perhaps the mast belongs to a safe boat which could have departed from the ship (Erebus?) to the mainland to the southeast and (perhaps again) from this alleged boat began those tracks of the four men walking on that area according with the Rupert Thomas Gould map. And about the probably target...Could it be the bow of a big ship completely turned over her side and semi buried...? (hopefully)

    Anyway, thank you very much to share all your discoveries and to carry us to that places, is amazing, a hard work. It is going to be hard to expect for more information.

    Watching your flight videos I am expecting to see thirty starving men waving their arms, besides their tents and boats, to your airplane (beatiful plane, by the way).

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  2. I just found your site -- ooh, you were soooo close to the Erebus!

    Thank you for these fascinating reports.

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